clamshell

noun clam·shell \ ˈklam-ˌshel \

|Updated on: 31 Jul 2018

Definition of clamshell

1 : the shell of a clam

2 a : a bucket or grapple (as on a dredge) having two hinged jaws

b : an excavating machine having a clamshell

c : either of a pair of doors (as in an airplane tail) that open out and away from each other

d : a hinged container, case, or cover that opens like the shell of a clam

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Recent Examples of clamshell from the Web

This is the project in a clamshell: Two 35-mile, 40-foot-wide tunnels under the delta from the estuary’s northern end on the Sacramento River to aqueducts at the southern edge.

— george skelton, latimes.com, "What do Southern Californians really get out of Gov. Jerry Brown's twin tunnels project?," 12 July 2018
The letter, which includes a leather clamshell case, is likely to be sold to a museum or private collector who will know how to properly preserve it, Livingston said.

— mark pratt, Fox News, "Martin Luther letter critical of Jews is up for auction," 10 July 2018
The battery lasts for up to 4 hours for audio playback, and the clamshell case holds three additional charges.

— chris welch, The Verge, "Sony’s futuristic earbuds are a pain in the present," 29 June 2018
Estimates showed replacements for foam clamshell containers would cost more than twice as much.

— lorraine mirabella, baltimoresun.com, "More eateries, businesses do away with plastic straws," 13 July 2018
Ditch the fuddy-duddy clamshell, Apple seemed to say, and use touchscreens and high-resolution tablet cameras and stylus pens instead.

— lauren goode, The Verge, "Apple leans on multimedia to convince schools that iPads are better than Chromebooks," 28 Mar. 2018
The city passed its ban on single-use disposable food-service items in 2008, which started with clamshell containers made of foam or plastic the following year.

— glenn fleishman, Fortune, "Seattle Says It's the Last Straw As It Bans Plastic Utensils. Is Your City Next?," 20 June 2018
Fruit included in the recall was sold in clear plastic clamshell containers at Trader Joe's, Costco, Jay C, Walgreens, Walmart, Kroger, Payless, Whole Foods/Amazon, Sprouts, and Owen's.

— sarah jacoby, SELF, "Ate Some Melon Recently? Here Are the Salmonella Symptoms to Watch Out For," 11 June 2018
Plastic water bottles and clamshell containers will be trash.

— sven berg, idahostatesman, "Boise recyclers, don't worry if you haven't received your orange bags yet. They're coming.," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'clamshell.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of clamshell

circa 1520

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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See words that rhyme with clamshell Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about clamshell

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clamshell

Definition of clamshell

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First Known Use of clamshell

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